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Yamaha FJR1300AE: Escaping the clutches of normal motorcycles

Photos by Riles & Nelson

By James Holter

All that's missing is the soundtrack.

Slicing up the west side of Southern California's Palomar Mountain, I'm digging one of the most celebrated dual personalities in motorcycling.

Tweaking the basic FJR package While the FJR1300AE's new shifting system is the big development for 2006 in FJR-land, Yamaha has also made several tweaks to the base package to address the few concerns riders had about the sport-tourer. Airflow and buffeting were problems with the old FJR, and Yamaha addressed both. The range of the electrically controlled windshield is increased by 25mm and it's been moved nearly 50mm closer to the rider. Air ducts beneath the wind screen and behind the speedometer reduce the effect of negative air pressure pushing you forward. An even more common complaint was engine heat hitting the rider. A larger outlet in the engine compartment and re-designed radiators and fan work with the greater airflow through the fairing to move heat away from the rider. Chassis-wise, a 35mm longer rear swingarm brings improved stability and traction to the table. A new aluminum subframe integrates a hand hold to make it easier to set the bike on the centerstand and accommodates a new, more comfortable seat design with a 20mm adjustment range for riders of different heights. The handlebars are also adjustable. In addition to a speedo and tach, the revised gauge cluster relays gear position, fuel level, real-time and average fuel consumption, coolant temperature, ambient air temperature, time, and has two trip meters, plus the standard odometer. All these changes apply to both the A and the AE model. The only differences between the two are the clutch and shifting system, the heated grips and the color: silver for AE, blue for the A.

In the attack position on Yamaha's 2006 FJR1300AE, the curves sweep by effortlessly to the beat of my mental rendition of "Click Click Boom" by Saliva. Just 30 minutes earlier, I was tucked comfortably behind the bubble on I-5, humming Tom Petty's "Running Down a Dream."

Yeah, this is definitely a bike that begs for a diverse MP3 collection.

The FJR has always covered the full range of sport-touring demands. For 2006, Yamaha has made some improvements to the standard FJR1300A ($13,499) but the new model isn't radically different. The big changes come with the new FJR1300AE ($15,299), which features speed-sensitive heated grips and an automatic clutch and electronic shifting.

Some might find it amazing that Yamaha's biggest, baddest supersport-tourer would borrow a feature from the company's tiniest bike, but that's what it did. Although the technical guts are waaaaay different, the clutch on the AE model works a bit like the clutch on a PW50. There's no lever on the left grip to worry about. You twist, you go. If a 4-year-old can get it, you can.

However, don't think easy-to-operate means simple. The system running the FJR auto-clutch is probably smarter than that 4-year old on the PW50—and definitely less temperamental.

Indeed, the automatic clutch is only one half of something Yamaha terms the Yamaha Chip Controlled Shift, or YCC-S. The other half—the electronic shifting—is a more radical break from how we're used to operating motorcycles.

The most visible change to the bike is the push-button shift mechanism on the left handlebar. On the front of the grip, where you'd normally find the high-beam flasher, is the upshift button. On the back-side of the grip, just below the horn, is the down-shift button. Both the upshift and downshift buttons are part of the same piece of plastic that levers inside the control housing.

Although the button-shift feature draws the most attention, it's only one way to change gears on the AE. The bike still comes equipped with a foot shifter that can alternately be used to actuate the system.

Regardless of how it's triggered, the shifting and clutch are both managed by a sophisticated computer that operates the clutch in tandem with rider input (throttle, gear selection) and terrain (tight uphill twisties or long sweepers). What that means is, if it needs to slip, it'll slip.

But "controlled" does not mean "automatic." The rider still determines what the motorcycle does and when it does it. The YCC-S is still a manual transmission—although one that changes gears with an instantaneous click instead of a delayed clunk. But it's a manual transmission that you can operate with a finger instead of a toe.

Still, it's a lot to digest, and hard for some riders to accept, particularly when they rely on shifting reflexes honed over decades of riding. Trust me, though. After a few miles (and probably a couple of beeps of the horn when you really meant to downshift instead), you'll be a pro.

The other unique feature of the AE model is the heated grips. The rider chooses a setting between LO and HI on the rotary dial on the fairing and the grips adjust with the speed of the bike. Go faster, grips get warmer. Stop at a light, they cool off.

Yamaha also made some tweaks to the basic FJR package beyond the automatic clutch and electronic shifting and the heated grips on the AE (see sidebar above).

Styling-wise, the FJR has always been a looker. It gets even sleeker this year, with larger but more shapely mirrors and new lights, both front and back. Carried over are the detachable hard bags that are big enough to carry a full-face helmet, yet take nothing away from the rocket-ship looks.

Not that you'll be overly concerned with appearances after you swing a leg over the FJR. There's nothing like a bottomless pit of silky-smooth power and a day's worth of winding pavement on your schedule to take your mind off how you'll look on the boulevard.

The route that Yamaha planned for the FJR intro included ample time on both highway stretches and mountain roads. It was a great course for getting a feel for both versions of the FJR, which proved to be an exceedingly comfortable motorcycle for munching away the miles, regardless of the distance between curves.

No, the FJR is not as nimble as a 600cc sportbike. It's more at home in sweeping curves than tight switchbacks. But it is certainly one of the best handling motorcycles you can buy that can also comfortably carry a passenger and a weekend's worth of gear. The FJR is wonderfully stable on the freeway but still fun on the two-lanes.

When you do get into the tighter stuff, you'll really enjoy the push-button shift feature on the AE. Once your brain is wired for the push-button system, it's as instinctive as using the foot shifter. Different riders seem to develop their own method for changing gears. For example, it's possible to use just the index finger to both upshift and downshift. Because both buttons are actually different ends of the same lever, you can simply flick the forward button out to downshift and pull it in to upshift. When the roads got tight, my technique was to ride with my index finger poised above the upshift button and my thumb poised above the downshift.

Shifts are instantaneous. (Yamaha says they occur in 60 milliseconds, but suffice it to say they're a lot faster than a traditional foot shifter.) While the transition between the higher gears can be made without any chop in the throttle, the bike can lurch in the lower gears as the clutch reengages if you keep the throttle pegged during shifts. After I trained myself to ever so slightly roll off the throttle each time I shifted, up or down, gear transitions were imperceptible.

By comparison, the standard FJR, which I rode in the beginning and end of the day, had a particularly notchy transmission. Perhaps it would smooth out after a few more hundred miles, but it often took a serious boot and a fully disengaged clutch to coax the standard shift model's tranny into the next gear.

I wouldn't call the clutch on the standard FJR heavy or stiff, but it does require a healthy squeeze. More important, however, it is progressive, with no lurch in the transition from fully engaged to fully disengaged.

Powerwise, there's no doubting the capabilities of the FJR. The ponies start building as soon as you turn the throttle and don't stop until you reach the 9,000 rpm redline. The engine is equally at home cruising in triple-digit range or powering out of 180-degree corners on mountain roads.

Luckily, the brakes are up to the task of keeping it all in check. While the braking system features independent front brake controls, the rear brake pedal is tied into the front caliper. So, when the rear brake is applied, it not only activates the rear caliper, but also one piston on the right front brake caliper. For better feel and more unified brake wear, each piston has its own brake pad. ABS comes on both models.

Sure, there are a few quibbles—the somewhat notchy shifting on the standard bike the most noteworthy one—but with mile-munching bliss, 141 horsepower and canyon-carving handling capabilities all in the same tight and comfortable package, the new FJR is the two-headed monster of motorcycling thrills. And the AE version provides an entirely new alternative for those wanting to escape the rigors of clutching.

Only one question, Yamaha: Where's my radio?

2006 Yamaha FJR1300AE
Engine	1,298cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, inline four
Bore x stroke	79.0mm x 66.2mm
Carburetion	Electronic fuel injection
Transmission	5-speed with Yamaha chip-controlled shifting
Final drive	Shaft
Brakes	Yamaha Unified Braking System (ABS front, rear; pedal activates one front caliper) Dual 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers, front 282mm disc, rear
Front suspension	48mm Soqi fork Adjustable for preload, compression, rebound
Rear suspension	Single shock Adjustable for preload, rebound damping
Tires	120/70-17 radial front 180/55-17 radial rear
Wheelbase	60.6 inches
Seat height	31.7 inches
Fuel capacity	6.6 gallons
Dry weight	582 pounds
MSRP	$15,299 (FJR1300AE) $13,499 (FJR1300A)